Electrical switch



Oct. 4, 1932. w. 1 BUTLER l-:T An.

ELECTRICAL SWITCH Filed Aug. 1'7. 1929 Madd amg Patented 4, 1932 lUNITED STATES` PATENT OFFICE WILLIAM L. BUTLER AND H. FABREY, 0FSCHENECTADY, NEW YORK, AS- SIGNOBB T0 WEBER ELECTRIC COMPANY, 0FSCHENECTADY, NEW YORK, A COR- POBATION OF NEW YORK ELECTRICAL SWITCHApplication led August 17,' 1929. Serial No. 886,669.

The invention relates to new and useful improvements in electricswitches.

An important object of the invention is to provide a special mountingfor a switch arm, whereby it willI be insulated from the actuatingmechanism, and will have a ioating connection therewith, allowing forlateral movements of the arm with respect to the mechanism for properlyinsuring proper electrical contact with stationary contacts.

Another object of the invention is to provide means for limiting thelateral play or movements of the switch arm and for maintaining it inspaced relation to a wall of a casing in which it is mounted.

Another object of the invention is to provide simple and inexpensivemeans for uniting the two blades constituting the switch arm.

A still further object of the invention is to construct one of themembers of the switch arm mechanism of insulating material in order toinsulate the arm for the mechanism.

Other objects and advantages of the invention will become apparentduring the course of the following description.

In the accompanying drawing forming a part of the description, andwherein like numerals are employed to designate like parts throughoutthe several views.

Figure 1 is a top plan of the switch involving one form of theinvention.

Figure 2 is a fragmentary transverse section through a portion thereof.

Figure 3 is an elevation showin the switch arm mounted upon an element othe switch actuator illustrating the play between the same.

Figure 4 is a perspective exploded view of the parts of the switch armassembly.

Figure 5 is a. plan of a switch involving a modified form of switch armmounting.

Figure 6 is a perspective exploded view of the switch arm assembly ofthis modification.

Figure 7 is a plan of the modified switch arm assembly illustrating itsloose connection on the part of the actuating mechanism, and

Figure 8 is a perspective view of a third Vmodification of mounting theswitch arm.

This invention relates to electrical switches, and more particularly,those ofthe double snap type disclosed in the co-pending applicatlon ofButler et al. Serial N o. 231,059,1iled November 4, 1917. The presentinvention has for its object to provide an improved mountlng for theswitch arm, and improved means for uniting the two blades constitutingthe switch arm.

Referring now more particularly to the drawing, 10 designates a casingof insulating or dielectric material having a cavity 11 therein for thereception of a snap. switch mechanism, not shown, as it forms no part ofthe present invention other than hereinafter set forth. This switchmechanism is retained within a cavity by means of a bridge plate 12having a slot in which operates an actuator button 13 in the well knownmanner.

Secured to the casing 10 are a pair of statlonary contacts 14, havingsuitable binding posts associated therewith, as is usual, and thesestationary contacts are disposed adjacent a side wall of the cavity 11,as shown.

The switch mechanism includes a U-shaped oscillatory member 15 havinglateral extensions 16, by which it is fulcrumed in V- shaped recesses 17in opposed walls of the casing 10. Shoulders 18 are provided on the`-U-shaped member at the inner ends of the extensions 16, as clearly shownin Figures 2 and 8, for a purpose which will be hereinafter described.In the form of invention disclosed in Figures 1 to 7 inclusive, thisU-shaped member is stamped from sheet metal. A switch arm assemblyindicated in its entirety by the numeral 19 is loosely mounted upon theextension 16 of the U-shaped arm adjacent the stationary contacts, andthe entire switch mechanism is usually concealed within the housing bymeans of a sheet of insulation 20 held over the open end of the cavity11 beneath the bridge plate 12.

As is well understood in this type of snap switch, the ends of theswitch arm are snapped into engagement with the stationary contacts 14upon movement of the actuator button 13 in one direction, and aresnapped out of engagement with the stationary contacts upon movement ofthe button in the Opposite direction.

- This invention primarily concerns the switch arm assembly 19 shownmost effectively in Figure 4 where the parts are shown separated. Theswitch arm is composed of a air of separately formed juxtaposedresillent blades 20 having enlarged central portions 21 provided withregistering openings 22 of a size greatly in excess of the crosssectional area of the extension 16 of the U-shaped member. These twoblades are secured together' by means of struck-out projections 23 ofone blade extending through openings in the other blade and upset orbent over on opposite sides of the openings 22. The outer ends 24 of thetwo juxtaposed blades are flared outwardly, and slightly spaced toreceive the stationary contacts 14 when the switch arm is snapped intoengagement therewith by the actuating mechanism heretofore described. Inother respects, the switch arm is of the same construction as thatdisclosed in the above mentioned co-pending application.

Adapted to be received within the central opening 22 of the switch armis an insulating block 25 having an elongated central opening 26, whichis considerably larger than the cross sectional area of the extension16. The thickness of this block is substantially the same as thecombined thicknesses of the two blades constituting the switch `arm.This block may obviously be formed as an integral extension of eitherwasher 27, as shown in the modification in Figure 6.

Arranged upon opposite faces of the switch arm are a pair of insulatingwashers 27, each of which is provided with an elongated central opening28 of a size corresponding to the opening in the insulating block 25 andadapted to register therewith. These insulating ywashers and block aresecured to the switch arm by means of a tubular rivet 29 which extendsthrough the central apertures of all three pieces of insulation, as wellas through the enlarged opening 22 of the switch arm, and opposite ends30 of the rivet are vupset against the outer faces of the washers 27 tosecurely clamp the parts together. It is to be particularly noted thatthe opening through the tubular rivet'is substantially larger than thecross sectional area of the extension 16 of the oscillatory U-shapedmember 15 and is adapted to be mounted thereon with an extremely looselit, as best seen in Figure 3, so as to be oated on the lateralextension and permit it to have lateral play thereon and looseconnection therewith. Due to the fact that the rivet is retained whollydisengaged from any parts of the switch blades, it will be appreciatedthat the switch arm is entirely insulated from the U-shaped member 15.

The upset ends 30 of the tubular rivet are :adapted toy abut theshouIders 18 of the U- V-shaped recesses 17 so as to limit the lateralmovement of the switch arm; it being observed in Figure. 2 that theswitch arm assembly is permitted slight movement lon i.- tudinally ofthe extension 16, whereby t e ends of thel switch arm may properlyengage the stationar contacts, and at the same time b e held out oengagement with the side walls of the cavity in the casing.

In the modification shown in Figures 5 to 7 inclusive, a modified switcharm assembly is dlsclosed, but it; like the preceding form, is looselymounted upon the extension 16 of the oscillatory U-shaped member 15 tohave lateral play or oscillation thereon. The two blades 31 of thismodification are provided with enlarged 'central portions 32, eachofwhich is provided .with an enlarged openings 33, which are adapted forregistration. Three margins of the opening in one of these blades areprovided, each with a lug or projection 34, all of which are extendedthrough the opening in the coacting blade 31 and bent over the edgesthereof to firmly clamp the two blades of the switch arm together.

In order to loosely mount this switch arm upon the extension 16 andinsulate it therefrom, a block of insulation 35 is provided with anelongated cent-ral opening 36 of a size larger than the cross sectionalarea lof the extension 16, to be loosely mounted thereon. This block 35is considerably smaller than the registering openings 33 in the switchblades, and is adapted to extend therethrough so that the4 switch bladesthemselves have floating connection or are loosely mounted upon thisbloklof insulation. If desired, the block 35 rn'ay be provided with anoutwardly extending flange posite sides of its center to limit thelateral movements or oscillations of the switch arm.

The form of invention disclosed in Figure 8 dispenses with the necessityof equipping the switch blade assembly with means for insulating thesame from the U-shaped oscillatory member 15 of the precedmg forms. Theswitch arm of this modification is of the same construction as theswitch arm of the form of invention disclosed in Figures 1 to 4inclusive, so far as concerns the means for clamping the two blades ofthe arm together. However, the centra] opening 38 in the switch arm isnot as large as the central openings in the preceding forms, but iselongated and larger than the ill cross sectional area of a lateralextension 39 of an oscillatory U-shaped member 40 corre` sponding to theoscillatory elements 15 of the preceding forms, so as to be looselymounted thereon and capable of lateral movements or oscillations. TheU-shaped oscillatory member 40 is constructed of insulating materialinstead of sheet metal to obviate the necessity of providing the switcharm assembly with insulating means.

It is to be understood that various changes in the size, shape andarrangement of the various parts may be resorted to without departingfrom the scope of the appended claims.

We claim 1. In a snap switch construction, an oscillatory member, aswitch arm loosely mounted thereon and insulated therefrom, said switcharm having an opening larger than the cross section of said oscillatorymember, an insulating block' mounted in said opening, insulating memberson opposite sides of said switch arm, and a tubular rivet extendingthrough said insulating block and members and having a loose fit uponsaid oscillatory member for loosely mounting the switch arm and clampingthe insulation thereto.

2. In a snap switch construction, a casing havin a cavity, a snap switchmechanism inclu ing an oscillatory member mounted therein, a pair ofstationary contacts, a switch arm mounted on said oscillatory member andinsulated therefrom, insulating members on opposite sides of said arm, atubular rivet for securing the insulating members to said arm and havinga loose fit upon said oscillatory member for loosely mounting said arm,and one end of the rivet being engageable with a wall of said cavity tolimit lateral play of the arm upon the oscillatory member.

3. In a snap switch construction, a casing having a cavity therein, asnap switch mechanism including a U-shaped oscillatory member havingextensions mounted in the walls of said cavity, a switch blade looselymounted upon one of said extensions and having an oplening larger thanthe same, an insulat ing lock in said openin and having an opening whichreceives sai extension, a pair of insulating members on opposite sidesof said blade and having registering openings to receive said extension,a tubular r1vet extending through the openings of all of said membersfor clamping them together and having a loose fit upon said extensionfor loosely mounting said blade, and one end of said rivet beinengageable with a wall of said cavity to limit lateral play of the bladeupon said extension.

4. In a snap switch construction, an oscillatory member, a switch armmounted thereon and insulated therefrom, said switch arm having anopcnlng larger than the cross section of said oscillatory member, aninsulating block mounted in said opening, insulating members on oppositesides of said switch arm, and a tubular rivet extending through saidinsulating block and members for mounting the switch arm'on saidoscillatory member and for clamping the insulating members upon saidswitch arm.

5. In a snap switch construction, an oscillatory member, a switch armmounted thereon and insulated therefrom, said switch arm having anopenin larger than the cross section of said osci latory member,insulating members on opposite sides of said switch arm, and a tubularrivet extending through said insulatin members and the enlarged openingin said switch arm for mounting said switch arm on the oscillatorymember and for clam ing the insulating members upon said blade. Y

In testimony whereof we have hereunto set our hands.

WILLIAM L. BUTLER. lWILLIAM H. FABREY.

